A jungle theme park will open in Okinawa Prefecture on July 25, with its operator hoping to attract both domestic and overseas travelers with an immersion in nature alongside thrills including a dinosaur-themed ride.
Junglia Okinawa, built in the village of Nakijin in the northern part of Okinawa’s main island, will offer 22 attractions, including a balloon ride for a panoramic view of the surrounding jungle area. Visitors can also hop on a vehicle to explore the jungle and simulate the experience of fleeing from pursuing dinosaurs, its operator Japan Entertainment said.
The roughly 60-hectare park, located in the protected region of Yambaru, a UNESCO World Heritage site, also has an open-air bath that allows visitors to enjoy scenic views of the southern island, according to the firm.
Photo shows an image of Junglia Okinawa. (Photo courtesy of Japan Entertainment)(Kyodo)
“This is a theme park where people can have a real and exciting experience in the midst of a vast wilderness,” Tsuyoshi Morioka, CEO of Katana Inc., in charge of the park’s marketing, said at a press conference in Tokyo.
Credited for having turned around Universal Studios Japan in Osaka, Morioka is also offering assistance to Huis Ten Bosch, a Dutch-themed seaside resort in Nagasaki Prefecture which declared bankruptcy in 2003.
The jungle theme park is forecast to have an economic impact of about 6.8 trillion yen in the first 15 years since its opening and create more than 880,000 jobs, according to an estimate by Kansai University.
For travelers from overseas, the entrance fee will be 8,800 yen ($58) per adult and 5,940 yen for a child aged 4 to 11, while the price for domestic visitors will be 6,930 yen per adult and 4,950 yen per child. Kids aged 3 or younger can enter free of charge, the operator said
The company started selling package tours, which include entrance tickets, in late January.
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AloJapan.com